Lose bark on pork when foiled

[Athrasher]

I just took a pork butt off the smoker (WSM) which I had wrapped at 165F when it had nice color and bark. I put a marinade at the bottom of the foil (not on top of the meat) and put the wrapped butt back on the smoker which was staying between 135-150 degrees internally.

When I took the butt off once it reached 190F I noticed the bark was pretty much gone along w/ its nice texture. I know to expect some loss of bark but I haven't lost essentially all of it before.

The meat is still wrapped in foil and is sitting in a cooler right now. But I wanted to get your opinions on this....

Do you foil? If so how do you prevent bark loss?

Thanks.

[deepsouth]

i don't foil and don't lose bark.

i tried to foil ribs once and they became fall of the bone with no bark, so i told myself, never again.

[Bluesman]

I never ever wrap a butt. Take it off when probe tender then double wrap an cooler

[lance0623]

The bark didn't go anywhere, it's just soft from the foiling. For the last 30 min or so, unfoil and put back on.

[bacchus99]

I didn't foil this butt. Only reason to foil a butt imo is to get it thru the stall faster. Otherwise there is plenty of fat to keep it moist.

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[El Ropo]

Foil happens!

I keep the foil in the pantry next to the empty spritz bottle and injector.

[Athrasher]

Everything I've read has said to foil from 160 and take off heat at 190 and out it in a cooler

I'm wondering if spritzing every few hours and controlling the heat is enough to preserve coloring and foil isn't needed.

[The_Kapn]

Interesting new topic here.
Looking forward to how it turns out.

Question---do you want a hard, crusty, carmalized bark??

TIM

[Athrasher]

I personally like a nice carmelized bark and to have a texture difference from the rest of tr meat

[El Ropo]

Originally Posted by Athrasher

Everything I've read has said to foil from 160 and take off heat at 190 and out it in a cooler

I'm wondering if spritzing every few hours and controlling the heat is enough to preserve coloring and foil isn't needed.

I don't know where you are getting your info, but you should hang here for a while. @190, the butt may be close, but it aint ready. Spritzing a butt is a waste of time and energy IMO. Let it rock and roll. Every piggie is gonna cook up differenly, when the bone wiggles free and wants to fall out is what you're looking for. May happen at 195, may not happen till 210. Temp is just an indicator for when to start checking for "done".

I have a pretty good idea of where you've been reading, but won't comment on which site it is.

[Bluesman]

Yup ^^^^

[Southstar Jeff]

I think you did not help by adding liquid to the foil. Plenty of good stuff in the meat, adding more liquid just further diluted the bark, which already takes a hit with the foiling. Doesn't really matter that you put it in the bottom. As soon as it steams up, it's everywhere.

[aquablue22]

I do not foil, in my opinion when you foil you are essentially steaming the meat or ribs and you lose all the great bark and crust and cooler and flavor. I foil fish with lemons, limes and oranges to steam it. Other than that foil in my house is used as a dish cover and to as protective layer in pans

[Pappy]

No foil & no fat cap. Plenty of bark.

[LoneStarMojo]

I'm with Pappy on the fat cap. I get rid of that sucker because I want more bark. I pretty much go HnF on all my cooks these days and find that the bark can get over done if I'm not careful, so I wrap but I wait until the bark is just right and then I wrap with butcher paper for the finish and coolering. Bark is a wonderful thaing!